Shen Wan's face was burning hot; she tried to get up, but Xie Jingyan held her waist, and she couldn't move.

"Let me go!"

Shen Wan struggled for a moment, and the person beneath her let out a hoarse, painful voice, "Don't move."

Shen Wan's face flushed again, and she spat out, "You shameless!"

Xie Jingyan's ears turned bright red, and feeling innocent, he was afraid that Shen Wan would really think he was a shameless person. He said, "I'm a normal man. If I don't have any reaction when listening to a live sex show and being held by my fiancée, wouldn't I be useless?"

Shen Wan couldn't listen to it anymore. If she had her hands free, she would have covered his mouth tightly.

Was she hugging him?!

She was supporting him so he wouldn't fall, and she carried him for ages until her back was almost broken. She didn't even complain, but he called it carrying him.

What's even more infuriating is that when she tried to get up, he wouldn't let go, and then he said, "How long are you going to keep pressing me down?"

Honestly, Xie Jingyan was thankful there were no sticks or stones nearby, otherwise Shen Wan would have definitely given him a good whack in the face when she was angry.

She didn't know when he loosened his grip on her waist, so Shen Wan quickly stood up and was about to leave.

Xie Jingyan lay on the ground and said, "Are you going to abandon me?"

Shen Wan was filled with deep regret.

Why would she choose to team up with him?

This guy is clearly a scoundrel.

Once you're on that pirate ship, there's no getting off anytime soon. Shen Wan stomped her feet in anger, but resigned herself to her fate and turned back to help Xie Jingyan up.

As soon as he stood still, he hugged her tightly like a pillar, making it impossible for her to move.

Just as Shen Wan was about to collapse, Chen Feng pushed the wheelchair back, along with Yin Shuang.

Xie Jingyan sat in the wheelchair, and Shen Wan looked at his feet, asking in confusion, "How did you save me just now?"

Xie Jingyan said, "I can walk a few steps, but if I walk too much or stand for too long, my legs will ache terribly."

He had been standing there for quite a while, but since she was holding him and he was also supporting himself against the artificial hill, his legs weren't straining as much.

No wonder he recovered so quickly after breaking his leg in his previous life and being treated by Doctor Tao. She had always thought that he couldn't stand because the broken bone hadn't been set properly, but it seems that wasn't the case.

Shen Rong escorted Shen Ying back to the Marquis's residence. As sisters from the same household, she should accompany her back as well. Shen Wan was about to leave.

But after taking a couple of steps, she remembered that she had something to say to Xie Jingyan, so she turned back and said, "Although Scholar Zhao has some talent, he is probably not quite up to the level of a top scholar. He has an affair with Miss Chen from the Imperial Academy's Chancellor's residence, and coincidentally, Chancellor Chen is the chief examiner for this year's imperial examination. I suspect there is cheating involved in this examination. You should inform the Crown Prince about this and have him investigate."

Xie Jingyan, sitting in his wheelchair, looked at Shen Wan with scrutiny and suspicion in his eyes. "How did you find out about the affair between the top scholar and Miss Chen?"

Shen Wan knew he would ask about this, so she said, "I discovered it by accident."

Xie Jingyan didn't believe this explanation. His intuition told him that Shen Wan had a secret. She had put a mask on her fourth sister, and the fourth sister had escaped a disaster in the Duke of Wei's mansion by relying on that mask. He didn't believe that there was such a coincidence. She wanted to come to the Prince of Changshan's mansion to attend the peony banquet. As soon as she went to Baihuifang, she met Princess Danyang and got the invitation to the peony banquet.

However, to say that she had the ability to foresee the future, she almost suffered two defeats at the hands of the Prince of Jin.

Shen Wan refused to say, and Xie Jingyan didn't press her for details. He felt that he had never truly understood Shen Wan. He was worried that she was being sold out and then being taken advantage of. But in fact, she knew everything about court affairs and could kill two birds with one stone.

Lord Chen is a man of the King of Jin. If there is indeed cheating in the imperial examination, Lord Chen, as the chief examiner, will not escape severe punishment. If he exposes this matter to the King of Qin, not only can the King of Qin severely damage the King of Jin, but the King of Qin will also have to remember him as a great favor.

Seeing that Xie Jingyan didn't speak, Shen Wan asked, "Why aren't you saying anything?"

Xie Jingyan said, "You said you would join forces and take advantage of each other. I thought you were joking with me."

"I underestimated you."

It was not wrong to underestimate her.

She only benefited from being reborn; in terms of scheming, she was truly showing off her limited skills in front of him.

Shen Wan said, "Thank you for today."

Xie Jingyan's lips curled up, and he said, "So how are you going to thank me?"

Shen Wan was stunned. She didn't expect that her polite words would be so appreciated. They were using each other, so it was only right that they helped each other. She had severely damaged Prince Jin, and he had benefited from it too.

However, if Xie Jingyan hadn't stopped her in time, she would most likely have gone inside today, and the consequences would have been unimaginable. She should thank him.

Shen Wan asked, "Your birthday is coming soon, what gift would you like?"

She was originally going to ask him that too.

Xie Jingyan's eyes sparkled with amusement. "Will you give me anything I want?"

Shen Wan was quite generous, saying, "Anything I can afford is fine."

Xie Jingyan's smile deepened as he leaned back in his wheelchair and said, "A birthday gift you ask for yourself is so boring. I'm waiting for the surprise you'll give me."

Asking is pointless.

You still have to prepare it yourself.

God knows what he likes?

Could it be that she's going to ask Chen Feng for information?

That's a good idea.

Shen Wan made up her mind to go back and ask Chen Yu, but Xie Jingyan changed the subject again, "My birthday is still a while away, no rush. How are you going to thank me today?"

Trying to get away with it by joking around is impossible.

Although Shen Wan hadn't thought about it, she was puzzled as to why Xie Jingyan insisted that she thank him. Such behavior was clearly not conducive to their cooperation.

Realizing that she was the one who needed to join forces, she could only appease him herself. Shen Wan asked, "Then how do you want me to thank you?"

Xie Jingyan looked at Shen Wan, and just when Shen Wan thought he was going to give her a difficult problem, he said, "Think for yourself."

Shen Wan, "..."

Okay.

She thought about it herself.

Then, Shen Wan said, "Let my older brother treat you to a meal."

Fearing Xie Jingyan would be picky and say it wouldn't work, Shen Wan turned and ran away after saying that.

Watching Shen Wan run away, Xie Jingyan's face turned as black as the bottom of a pot.

Is this asking Shen Du to treat him to a meal?

He clearly wanted to get Shen Du beaten up!

Chen Feng stood behind him, his shoulders nearly dislocated from the trembling.

Given the relationship between the Marquis of Pingyang's heir and the master, the master shouldn't even ask for a thank-you gift for helping Miss Shen, especially since Miss Shen is the master's fiancée. If the Marquis of Pingyang's heir finds out, he'll most likely really give the master a beating.

Shen Wan walked very fast, and only slowed down after she was far away and sure that Xie Jingyan was not chasing after her.

Upon arriving at the garden, Shen Wan saw Shen Wei approaching with her maid from afar. When Shen Wei saw Shen Wan, she ran over, her face flushed, and said, "Big sister, I've finally found you."

Shen Wan asked, "Why didn't you go back with them?"

Shen Wei replied, "It's too crowded for three people to ride in a carriage, and I don't want to go back and get scolded, so I'll stay and wait for my older sister."